It sure is academic!!!! I never liked the patches ..... tooo strong for me to back off after I cut back. I'd actually get a nicotene buzz from them ...... on the plus side, while wearing the patch, the effects from a doobie would last like 3 times as long!!!

 

Well....Sam Adams was just a little too pricey and it is hard to drink say.....24 in a few days. So I went with Miller High Life - it's cheap, tastes good, and I have to show loyalty to our company's largest commercial account - a Miller Distributor. I found this website if anyone is interested in alcohol, calorie, and carb content in most beers: http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm. Dang, Sam Adams Cream Stout has the most carbs of any beer on that list. No wonder I've been gainaing weight. i love that stuff!

I'm not worried about lifting resulting in gains either. When I was in high school I started out fat and worked out like crazy. I got down to about 176 in my best shape when I was lifting very heavily. I also know that is not an excuse I can use either (the excuse that muscle weighs more then fat so I must just be gaining muscle.) Plusevery bit more muscle you have on your body burns that much more fat when you aren't even doing anything.

Most of the women here are big, but think about it.The only man I am competing against (I think) is the 62 year old CEO who is not even 200lbs in the first place. Most of the women competing are in their 40's and 50's. I am 24 so I already have an unfairadvantage - first of all, because I'm a man; and second of all, because I'm much younger. The only other woman I would have had to worry about went to school with me. She is about 26, but she has already lost40 lbs and now she doesn't even appear to be overweight anymore. Several other women have already been dieting (my secretary, or assistant would be more politically correct, has already lost 30 lbs.) None of theprevious lost weight counts. I am sitting at about235 or 240 right now. I am hoping by monday I can fatten up to at least 250. I know byNovember,if I stick to what I know, I can get down to 180. then the last few days or so I can cut weight and probably lose another 10 lbs of water weight. So if I am able to get down to 170 (for the weigh in day only) I will have lost 80 lbs (if I make it to 250 by Monday.) That is a 32% decrease in weight and I doubt any of those women will lose 80 lbs either. Plus I am the only one trying to gain 10 or 15 lbs by monday. all of those women are afraid to gain anything.

I am going to start the first month by running every day and doing push ups and crunches. Then I may join a gym and start lifting again after I don't feel like too much of a fat @$$. The money is as good as mine come November!

 

I'd have to chew the gum. I hate the patches. they are too itchy. There is some new drug out there, I can't remember what it is called, but it is supposed to help you quit smoking without giving you any nicotine. One of the nurses at the nursing home where my wife works used it and quit smoking. Plus my health insurance is big into "Anti Tobacco" so I bet a lot of that stuff would be covered - I just have to check. But I want to try to quit on my own first. I am going to try the method Falkore suggested - only bringing 7 or so cigarettes with me every day, then cutting the number back every week or so till I can stop all together.
My dad had a heart attack(not a really bad one, but enough to be in the hospital for a few days)about 7 years ago and I am pretty sure smoking aided in the condition leading up to the attack. My mom died of Congestive Heart Failure back in October of 2004. She smoked too, but not for very long, maybe 10 years or so - compared to my dad smoking off-and-on for probably 30 years (he still smokes.) I definitely believe smoking weakens the heart and lungs. And I know now that heart problems run in my family. I'm going to quit this year. But I will never preach to anybody about quitting. It's your body - smoke if you want to. You may as well enjoy life while you are here[:-].

 

Just remember that if you are low on energy, cut out the push-ups and crunches ..... the running is what will cut the weight ...... even better, use an eliptical ..... I sweat more on that than running. Also, get a few pairs of sweat pants and shirts ..... you're going to be soaking them daily, so you'll want at least 3 sets.

 

I'm kind of mixed opinion on that. I am of the school that believes in "shocking" the body - never let your body get used to a routine or it will plateau and you won't lose any weight or gain any muscle. I will probalby run for a while going different routes as often as possible, then join a gym and get on the elliptical, maybe the stairmaster, etc. When I join a gym I am going to tear it up on squats too. I absolutely despise doing squats, but I know they are the best workout for your body. I won't do any cardio on squat days - squats are enough.
I just hope I don't get sick and lose traction. i am going to be taking vitamins like crazy.

 

I didn't mean not to do the strength training .... just that if you are worn out you can do more bad than good by over exerting yourself ..... if something needs to be dropped for the day, it's everything but cardio.

 

I agree ^

 

LOL ..... is that a first???? x843651930

 

By the time the patches started to become a problem, I was out of this world with the inside of my rib cage in public view. Afterwards, the hospital gave me di-hydrocodeine pain killers which kept me very "relaxed". No more cravings. The only problem was I lost the liking for beer too. There's always a down side.
I remember reading a newspaper column some years back. The writer was giving up the weed. His strategy was Day1. he stopped smoking. Day2 he made a solumn promise to start again tomorrow. Day3 he made the same promise and so on. he never did fulfil his promise.
Worth a try ?

 

Haha that's a new way to think about it!